They gave themselves every chance of claiming one of the coveted four places with a resounding 3-0 win over Cardiff City at the JJB last night.
And two more victories from the last four games would likely to be enough to land a top six finish.
Next up for Latics is Saturday's visit to Crystal Palace, themselves still in the play-off hunt, followed by games against Sunderland (h), Nottingham Forest (a) and West Ham (h).
Jewell accepts it's a difficult finale but knows the play-offs are within reach.
He said: "This is a fantastic situation to be in and one we've got to try and enjoy.
"It's in our hands but we have games to come against Palace, Sunderland, Forest and West Ham which is one hell of a tough run-in.
"There are still going to be a lot of twists and turns yet, even though there are only four games left.
"Twelve points are up for grabs and it's very tight up there at the top of the table.
"Last night, there will have been a few teams below us hoping that Cardiff would do them a favour and beat us.
"This win has given us a little bit of a cushion, although it doesn't take the pressure off.
"It's not about where you are with four games to go, what counts is where you are after 46 games.
"Of course we're delighted to be back in fourth place but there is still an awful lot of hard work still to be done.
"I would think this result puts Cardiff out of the equation for the play-offs, but you can look as far down as Reading in 10th place.
"It's going to go down to the wire and we are in there fighting with the big boys.
"At this time of the season, it's all about keeping your bottle and focusing on your job.
"I would be telling lies if I said I didn't know who was playing who before the end of the season.
"But I have to keep the players focused, and we know that if we win every game now, we will be in the play-offs.
"Mentally it is absolutely shattering, although I'd rather be up here than down fighting relegation."
Goals from Jason Roberts (2) and Nathan Ellington gave Latics their win last night, the three points enabling them to leapfrog Ipswich and Sheffield United.
Jewell said: "I thought we were outstanding from the first whistle to the last.
"We got at Cardiff, didn't let them settle, and we were always in their faces.
"We're a high pressure team, and are at our best when we put pressure on the ball and hunt in packs.
"We didn't let Cardiff get their heads up and play, and that's credit to the whole team.
"I was speaking before the game to Lennie Lawrence who I know from old.
"He was saying it would be interesting to see how his two centre-halves coped with our two strikers and vice-versa.
"Obviously we came out on top of that one, and while the goals were good, the movement and work rate of Jason and Nathan was pleasing.
"At times they were unplayable out there, although I'm always asking for improvement."
Two-goal Roberts took his tally since joining the club to eight and was pleased with his evening's work.
He said: "It was a really big game for us and getting the three points was a big step towards where we want to go.
"For my first goal, Nathan put over a point-point cross which I managed to finish with my left foot – you won't see that again this Millennium.
"The second, I managed to get away from their defenders, cut back inside and finish it."
The Times
Roberts and Ellington prove too hot for Cardiff to handle
THE importance of Jason Roberts and Nathan Ellington to Wigan Athletic’s unexpected promotion challenge was underlined once again when the prolific forward pairing dismissed Cardiff City to move Paul Jewell’s side into fourth place in the Nationwide League first division.
The duo shared the home side’s three goals, Roberts claiming two, to take their combined tally to 16 in the 12 games they have started together since Jewell reunited the former Bristol Rovers team-mates in January. Not a man given to hyperbole, even Jewell acknowledges he has struck upon a potent partnership. “Jason and Nathan have got pace and power and at times they look unplayable,” he said.
The tone for a disjointed opening period was set by a couple of early sighters from Ellington that flew way off target before Roberts finally brought the game to life in the 36th minute. Offered meagre service, Ellington and Roberts had worked hard against a formidable Cardiff backline. However, the pair combined expertly when Ellington broke into space in the Cardiff area and squared the ball for Roberts, who turned the ball home from close range.
Ellington finally got his reward when he reacted sharply to finish in the 54th minute after Martyn Margetson had parried Jimmy Bullard’s long-range effort. Cardiff complained the forward was offside but their protests were silenced when Roberts collected Ellington’s flick, swept past James Collins before slotting home four minutes later.
Telegraph
Cardiff dream put on hold by vibrant Wigan
Cardiff City chairman Sam Hamman's hopes of a play-off place and a bite at a £20 million move up to the Premiership was virtually ended last night at the JJB Stadium.
Despite fighting hard against a vibrant Wigan side they were put on the back foot from the 36th minute by a Jason Roberts goal and when his strike partner, Nathan Ellington, scored his 18th goal of the season early in the second half there was no way back.
With only four games to play Cardiff are seven points behind the top six and out of the running. Wigan, now in fourth place with a better goal difference than Ipswich, are one of the strong favourites for the play-offs.
The First Division's leading scorer, Robert Earnshaw, who in 160 League outings has averaged a goal every two games, was put in the shade by Ellington and Roberts, who capped an outstanding performance with a second goal.
Earnshaw did not get the service he needed and was repeatedly thwarted by the well-drilled Wigan offside trap.
Cardiff were lucky not to go behind in the 15th minute when Roberts found the net after an adroit through ball from Ellington, only to be given marginally offside.
Midfielder Richard Langley, Cardiff's most fluent player, beat the defensive wall with a 26th-minute free-kick but Wigan goalkeeper John Filan was perfectly positioned to save. Otherwise, apart from Langley again bringing a low save out of Filan from a 30-yard free-kick, he was rarely tested.